High Twilight
by Kaiyo No Hime
Summary: *Part Two of the Tingilya Arc* Five years have passed, and Elendil and Estel are about to have their world torn assunder. *Complete*
1. The Hunt for Nuhta

High Twilight 

Part One 

The Hunt for Nuhta 

* * *

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or anything relating to it, really. 

Except for Elendil and Estel. They're mine. 

I suggest reading **Hidden Truths** before reading this, the second part of the Tingilya Arc. 

This takes place roughly five years after **Hidden Truths** ends. 

Have fun, and remember, please don't sue me, I am nothing more than a lowly college student living off of imaginary food!!! 

* * *

  


~~~~~Five Years After the end of **Hidden Truths**~~~~~ 

  


Five years have passed since Yugi died, and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was resealed. Elendil and Estel, the children of a horrific circumstance, have come to live with Seto Kaiba, as were the last wishes of Yami, before he was contained within the Puzzle once more. 

Neither hide, nor hair, has been seen of Bakura since the birth of the twins, and Seto has deemed, correctly, that they are still too young to know the truth behind their pasts. He has raised the children as if they were his own, and they have shown incredible talent at the game of Duel Monsters, like their parents before them. 

But all that is about to change, as the perfect little world built around the two tiny duelists are about to be turned upside down, as the universe falls under the light of **High Twilight**...... 

  


"Papa." Estel whispered, pausing at the door to the giant office Seto spent most of his time in, her amethyst eyes quivering. Seto looked up from his work with a smile, gesturing that she should come in. 

"What is it, Estel? Is Elendil picking on you again?" Seto asked as the tiny child crept into the room, her simple cerulean blue (AN: Sorry, but I love that color so!!!) dress rustling against the thick carpet. She tugged on the end of her long braid, a few loose strand of white hair wrestling free. Seto frowned slightly, it was becoming a nasty habit for her to tug on her hair, and her hair seemed to be getting more and more wild with every chance, just like her mother Yugi's. 

"Papa...." Estel looked up nervously, and Seto smiled reassuringly, Estel was a very shy child, "I can't find Nuhta(1)." Estel whispered, and Seto almost laughed, picking her up with a grin. Estel seemed to lose Nuhta, her winged kitty plushie, every few minutes. Seto wasn't quite sure why, but it was always fun to find where Nuhta had gone to, though he was beginning to wonder about how Nuhta was making these miraculous disappearances, and reappearance's. 

Nuhta the little kitty angel had appeared inside freezers, locked trunks, high shelves, and even in Seto's study a few times. Yet neither Estel nor Elendil went near these places, and still Nuhta appeared. Seto was seriously beginning to wonder if he should put a GPS beacon on the small plushie. 

"Well, where do you think Nuhta has gone today, eh?" Seto asked with a grin, placing Estel safely on his shoulders, reaching up on high shelves for a peek. Estel, ever the quiet one, merely shook her head. 

"Hey, what are you guys doing!?" Elendil demanded as they crossed one of the many living rooms in the Kaiba mansion, interfering with the mock battle Elendil, ever the hazel eyed spitting image of Yugi, was composing. 

"Nuhta's gone." Estel explained simply, and Elendil rolled his eyes. 

"Stupid stuffed animal! Serves you right for carrying that mangy thing around!" Elendil snapped, moving more toy soldiers into position, and Seto groaned inwardly. There was one thing, and one thing only, in the entire world that caused Estel to snap, and that was Nuhta. And Estel was not a pleasant creature to be around when her temper reared its ugly head. 

"NUHTA'S NOT STUPID, BAKA KISAMA(2)!!!" Estel shrieked, Seto grabbing midair her as she leapt from his shoulders, growling and spitting, wriggling and raking her claws angrily through the air like rabid cat. Elendil jumped back a step, and blew her a raspberry. 

"Elendil, apologize to your sister right now." Seto glared at the young boy, the elder of the twins. Elendil sighed, and rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. 

"I'm sorry, Nuhta's not a stupid stuffed animal." Elendil apologized with a sigh, going back to his mock battle. 

Estel, seemingly accepting the apology, went limp in Seto's hands as he placed her back on his shoulders with a slight grin, wondering what she would be like in the future. It would be extremely interesting to see her blow her lid in high school one day, and he almost felt sorry for the guy who would trigger that temper. 

Almost. 

"And you, young lady, must quit using language like that. Where did you hear those words, anyway?" Seto asked curiously as he continued the search for the missing Nuhta into the kitchen. He himself never swore, at least, not around Estel and Elendil. 

"Uncle Mokuba." Estel whispered quietly, standing up on Seto's shoulders, reaching toward the fridge door. 

She had an uncanny ability to sense where Nuhta was, if she was within the room. Problem was, though, that she was rarely in the same room as Nuhta, no matter how much she loved the raggedy toy. 

"Uncle Mokuba, eh?" Seto nearly groaned out loud. Mokuba had grown into an extremely uncontrollable teenager, and he had apparently made it his job to train the twins the language he used. 

"Nuhta's in the vegetable drawer." Estel whispered as Seto opened the fridge door, not giving Estel's directions a second thought. He had been through the routine enough times before. 

And there, lo and behold, was a small, faded calico kitty plushie, tiny, ragged angel wings lopsided on its back. Seto reminded himself mentally to wash the thing again, and get it a collar and leash. Maybe that way Estel would be able to keep track of it, though he doubted it. 

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder how Nuhta here keeps pulling these little magic disappearing acts." Seto commented, setting Estel, plushie and all, down on the linoleum floor. Estel looked at him with her uniquely eerie stare, and answered him, as she always did. 

"Nuhta likes to play hide and seek with Puzzle Papa. But Nuhta is too good, and Puzzle Papa can't find him very often. Puzzle Papa doesn't like leaving us alone, does he, Nuhta?" Estel asked the faded plushie, not noticing as Seto's face paled, his eyes going wide. 

"Puzzle Papa? Estel," Seto asked, kneeling down to eye height with the tiny five year old, "What does Puzzle Papa look like? What does he do? What does he say?" Seto demanded, resisting the urge to shake the tiny girl like a rag doll. Estel looked at him funny for a moment, and nodded. 

"Puzzle Papa looks like a really tall Elendil, but his eyes are funny. Like blood, his eyes look like blood." Estel answered, squeezing Nuhta, looking around the empty room carefully. 

"And he doesn't like you, Papa. He keeps calling you names. He says that you're bad things, and he blames you for Mama going away." Estel answered shyly, and Seto shook his head, nearly laughing. 

Seto could only pause and think, and come to a logical conclusion about what Estel was telling him. He remember hearing somewhere that infants had incredible memories, and one of the first things she had seen as a child had been Yami, crying, with bloodshot eyes. He supposed that it was possible that she was merely remembering Yami, and the Millennium Puzzle he wore around his neck. 

And, of course, Yami had just watched Yugi die that night, and he had probably been cursing Bakura, before Seto had arrived upon the scene. Estel was simply putting her imagination into overtime, using the tiny shred of memory she had of Yami to base this Puzzle Papa figure upon. 

Seto made a mental note to make more time for the two tiny children, especially Estel. Her mind was obviously trying to create a better parent figure, and she was always so easy to overlook, being so small, quiet, and shy. Nuhta joining in on the games, getting hidden so that he could play with her imaginary image of Yami wasn't a good sign, either. 

"Don't worry, Estel, Puzzle Papa," Seto had to smirk at the name Estel had given Yami, "Is mad at someone else. Now, try to convince Nuhta not to play hide and go seek, won't you?" Seto grinned, and Estel nodded solemnly, rushing out of the kitchen towards her bedroom, where, most likely, she and her stuffed animals would play Duel Monsters. 

He still couldn't understand how she was even able to play Duel Monsters with stuffed animals in the first place, be assumed there was a logical explanation somewhere, probably just as logical as Puzzle Papa, an overly active imagination. 

"And you," Seto whipped around to glare at Mokuba, who was creeping through the kitchen door quietly, "Do try to keep you language a little cleaner around the twins. I don't want them snipping off to their teachers when they enter school." Mokuba gulped like a guilty thief, and nodded. 

"Sure thing, Seto. Look, I have homework, I should really get started on it!" Mokuba dashed for the stairs, Seto grabbing the brown bag from him as he slipped by. 

"And Mokuba, I never want to see..." Seto opened the bag, and blushed furiously. He had assumed it was either alcohol, or drugs in the bag. He was quite shocked to see nothing more than a playboy magazine, "If you're going to have this in your room, lock your door." Seto sighed, returning the bag to his little brother, who was glaring at him, his face still very red. 

"Yeah, sure. Wouldn't want to corrupt the little kiddies!" Mokuba sneered, and dashed up to his room, the lock clicking firmly in place. 

No matter what Mokuba said, he really did care for the two little children, and he wouldn't intentionally cause them harm, or pervert their minds. He just sometimes forgot not to swear around them, but it was nothing big, as far as he could see. They would learn the words and phrases soon after they entered school anyway, he supposed..... 

  


** ~TSUZUKU~ **

  


Well, here it is, as I promised, the second part of the Tingilya Arc!!! 

Hope it's as good as people hoped, and lives up to all expectations! 

Now, for explanations: 

1) Nuhta: As I have commented before, I am learning Elvish. Nuhta means, roughly translated, 'Not to be allowed to continue'. 

Don't ask me why, but it sounded good at the time! :) 

  


2) Baka Kisama: I am a Gundam Wing fanfic writer, when my writers block isn't getting in the way, and this phrase is used slightly more than in most Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfic's. 

It means, basically, Stupid Bastard. It's very rude, and very insulting. Sort of like Mother Fucker. 

Not something little five year olds should be shouting at each other, believe you me! 

  


Well, until next time, R&R people's!!! 

Part Two 

* * *

I would also like to thank: 

Shadow of a Rose 

nimoe32 

Gabbi 

shinigami_no_molokai 

Aaries 

Crossover Authoress 

Wolfspeaker 

Black-Magic-Spellbinder 

Tina 

stupid kid 04 

Sun Angel 

cleo_ameka 

leev 

Feisty-angel 

KaTyA 

dru and larry 

Maliklovers 

Weird 

Halacanno 

UK Chatte 

Kiao 

Jokid 

Jurie 

WhiteLightning 

And anybody else who reviewed **Hidden Truths**!!! 

Thank You, and I hope this lives up to your expectations!!! 


	2. Stricken

High Twilight 

Part Two 

Stricken 

  


* * *

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or anything relating to it, really. 

Except for Elendil and Estel. They're mine. 

This takes place roughly five years after **Hidden Truths** ends. 

Have fun, and remember, please don't sue me, I am nothing more than a lowly college student living off of imaginary food!!! 

* * *

  


"Puzzle Papa, Papa said you have to stop playing hide and go seek with Nuhta." Estel whispered quietly as she lay down a card in defense mode.(1) 

"Hmmm, he does, does he?" Yami answered, looking at his hand, and folding with a grin. "It seems you beat me again, Estel!" Estel smiled shyly, collecting her cards, and shuffling them back into her deck. 

"Nuhta keeps getting lost, and I don't like it when he gets lost, either." Estel whispered, hugging the plushie tightly. Yami sighed, picking up the tiny girl, and setting her on the vanity chair, unbraiding her hair, picking up a brush, wrestling the tangles out of her soft, white hair. 

"Don't worry, Estel, I won't play hide and go seek with Nuhta anymore." Yami smiled, finishing the neat braid, Estel smiled shyly, looking at Yami. 

"Puzzle Papa, why can't Elendil see you, or Papa, or Uncle Mokuba?" Estel asked, and Yami sighed, knowing that she would have asked eventually, but he was hoping that she wouldn't ask for many years yet. 

"You're special, Estel, and can see and do things others can't. That's why, but you mustn't tell anyone, okay?" Yami asked, looking into the eyes of the little girl. He didn't want her to get hurt, not like Yugi had. He would rather die a thousand deaths than hurt her, too. 

Estel began to sob, much to Yami's surprise. He had never intended to make her cry. 

"But, I already told Papa, when we found Nuhta hiding in the kitchen!" Estel cried softly, even her tears quiet, like everything about her. Yami smiled,, and hushed her, humming a soft lullaby. 

"It's okay, Estel, it's okay. Just don't mention it to Papa again, all right? The time will come, later, when you're older." Yami whispered, wiping away Estel's tears. 

"Puzzle Papa," Estel whimpered, curling up in Yami's arms, shivering, "Can you make the room warm?" Estel asked, and Yami looked at her quizzically, sweat forming on her brow as she clutched Nuhta. 

"Estel, you're warm enough as it is...." Yami felt her forehead, and cursed himself for still being a spirit. Estel was the only one who could see him, and she was burning up in his arms. 

"But it's so cold, Puzzle....." Estel drifted off, her eyes closing as she passed out, Yami trying to wake her up, cursing Seto for not noticing how pale she was. 

"Estel, listen to me, sweetie, you have to open yours eyes, and find Seto. I can't get you help, Estel, I can't interact with this world without you!" Yami panicked, the girl slipping through his arms, falling with a sickening thud upon the floor, her body crumpled in a heap of blue cloth and white hair. 

A door down the hallway opened, Mokuba popping his head out to investigate. Estel was known for playing quietly, on her own. Thuds and thumps came from Elendil's room, not hers. Yami thanked the gods as Mokuba looked in, rushing to little Estel's body with concern. 

"Don't worry, Estel, you're going to be fine now, okay? Just fine." Yami whispered with a smile, his form dissolving completely away as the last of Estel's strength was tapped.... 

  


Mokuba lifted the tiny child up, her breath coming in faint, wheezing gasps. The teenager frowned, feeling for a pulse, a faint murmur thumping in her chest, barely noticeable. Estel's grip weakened on Nuhta, the tiny plushie falling to the floor as Mokuba lifted her up, dashing toward Seto's study. 

"SETO!!!" Mokuba shouted, kicking the door open, his leather boots leaving a smudge against the polished oak surface. Seto looked up with a glare. 

"Mokuba! What in the.... Estel!" Seto stood up as Mokuba lay the tiny child down on the couch, worried. Her breathing was becoming more labored as she gasped for breath, her skin clammy, and more pale than ever. 

"Seto, what's wrong with her!?" Mokuba sobbed, the twins were like younger siblings to him, and seeing Estel like this broke his heart. Seto shook his head, calling for an ambulance. 

"Come on Estel, come on, don't die, you can't die!" Seto whispered, carrying her to the downstairs foyer, Mokuba following, waiting for the ambulance...... 

  


"Uncle Mokuba?" Elendil tugged on Mokuba's leather jacket, looking around the empty kitchen. Mokuba sniffed, wiping tears from his eyes, looking down at Elendil with a saddened smile. 

"Yes, Elendil? Is something wrong?" Mokuba asked, putting down the carrot chopper. Elendil looked at him quizzically. 

"Where's Estel? We can't have dinner without Estel! Besides, it's her turn to help wash dishes, and I'm not going to wash dishes just because she's hiding!" Elendil glared, hands on hips. Had it been any other night, Mokuba would have been howling with laughter. 

But, as it was, Mokuba could only wipe more tears from his eyes. The ambulance had taken Estel, and Seto, away three hours before. And Seto had only called, briefly, to say that Estel was on a ventilator, and a heart monitor. The doctors weren't sure if you would last the night, and no one had any idea of what might have caused her collapse. 

"Elendil, Estel's not here. She's in the hospital.... she might not come home." Mokuba whispered, tears pricking at Elendil's eyes as he shook his head. 

"No she's not!! She's playing with stupid Nuhta!!! She's just a stupid baka!!! That's all she ever was, a stupid baka!!!" Elendil screamed, running from the room, tears flooding his eyes. Mokuba sighed, and went back to cutting carrots, ignoring the screaming sobs, and breaking toys from Elendil's room...... 

  


"So, how is she?" Seto asked, looking up. It was 2 AM, and his eyes had passed bloodshot three hours before. The doctor sighed, looking at the chart wearily. 

"We think her body's immune system is attacking her body. We're trying some drugs now, but.... they may not work. We really can't find a reason for her white cells(2) to attack her this suddenly." The doctor looked over as a nurse ran up to him, whispering something frantically. 

"What is it!? What's going on!?" Seto demanded frantically, the doctor's eyes going wide in surprise, motioning for Seto to follow. 

"It seems, Mr. Kaiba, that little Estel has woken up, on her own." the doctor opened the door to her private room, Estel sitting up in her bed, looking as shy as normal. In fact, she looked just fine. 

"Estel?" Seto asked, approaching the bed. Estel pulled at the end of her braid nervously. 

"Papa, I can't find Nuhta." Estel whispered, looking at the IV needle strapped into her arm. Seto smiled, and rolled his eyes. 

"Nuhta's safe at home. Estel, how are you feeling?" Seto asked, looking over at the doctor, who was busy discussing something with the nurse. 

"My arm is sore." Estel whispered, her grip tightening around her braid nervously as the doctor approached. 

"Mr. Kaiba, may I speak with you," the doctor glanced at Estel, "Outside?" Seto nodded, smiling at Estel. 

"I'll be just a second, okay?" Estel nodded, curling up in the large hospital bed, clutching her braid. 

"What's happening, doctor?" Seto asked, making sure the door was soundly closed behind him. 

"It seems that her immune system has decided that, for the moment, her body is not a threat." the doctor smiled weakly. "Sir, is there any history of this, in your family?" 

Seto shook his head with a sigh, looking through the window at Estel, who was quickly falling asleep. 

"She's not my daughter." Seto whispered, the doctor looking up from his chart suddenly. 

"Oh. Well, I have a prescription, I want her to take two a day, one every twelve hours, and bring her in immediately if any symptoms return." the doctor handed Seto a sheet of paper, "And Mr. Kaiba, I would honestly try tracking down her biological relatives. This... disease shows sign of being hereditary. Another, more informed, doctor may know a better treatment." Seto nodded, looking in at Estel, tears in his eyes. 

The only living relative she had was Bakura, and approaching him was out of the question...... 

  


** ~TSUZUKU~ **

  


Explanations!!! 

1) I play Magic: the Gathering, not Yu-Gi-Oh!, so I'm going to avoid card playing scenes. I only know a little, from what I've seen in the show. 

2) I have a very limited medical education. Mainly from what I remember from my Health classes in Public School, and a little of what my Mama told me. Nothing more, so I'm going to hold off on exact medical science scenes too!!! 

Oh yeah, for anyone who mentions it, my Mama was a nurse, and she watched ER. ER, from the few episodes we watched, is very fictional, and not something to gain medical scenes from. 

Well, I know, crappy chapter. 

Short chapter. 

I'll try to write more next time, but I'm trying to find a pair of pants, and I am a little on the tall side, so I'm going to be busy for the next month or two looking!! 

R&R Please!! 

Oh yeah, I wasn't kidding about that pants thing. Target, JC Penny's, Nordstroms, BonMarche, none of them sell clothing for women over 5'10", so I'm probably going to have to go find a tailor. Or cut about a three inches off my arms and legs, which is looking more and more like a decent solution!!! 

Part Three 


	3. A Demon's Laugh

High Twilight 

Part Three 

A Demon's Laugh 

* * *

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or anything relating to it, really. 

Except for Elendil and Estel. They're mine. 

This takes place roughly five years after **Hidden Truths** ends. 

Have fun, and remember, please don't sue me, I am nothing more than a lowly college student living off of imaginary food!!! 

* * *

  


~~~~~Two Weeks Later~~~~~ 

  


"Estel, you took your medicine, right?" Seto asked for the fourth time as the two children, dressed in their little blue school uniforms, stood patiently by the door, Mokuba rolling his eyes. 

"Yes, Papa." Estel whispered, tugging on her braid nervously. It was the twins first day of school, and Seto seemed to be more anxious than they were. 

"Seto, just chill! They're fine, and if I don't leave now, they're going to be late!" Mokuba, ever the obedient teenager, snapped, grabbing his car keys. Seto sighed, and nodded, holding the door open. 

"Okay, but Estel, remember, if you start feeling ill, tell the teacher immediately, okay?" Estel nodded, Elendil rolling his eyes now. 

"Whee, race you to the car!" Elendil shouted, dashing out the door. Estel, much unlike her brother, walked quietly to Mokuba's car, and waited patiently, clutching her braid..... 

  


~~~~~In Oxford(1)~~~~~ 

  


Ryou groaned, getting up from his microwave dinner, glaring at the phone. He was really beginning to regret having a phone line, with all the telemarketers that seemed to have so much fun calling just as he sat down to eat. 

"Hello? Ryou speaking." Ryou sighed, expecting an over hyper sales pitch. 

"Ryou, that you? God, you're an impossible person to find!" Seto sighed, finally getting the right number. He had been tracking down the albino ever since Estel had come home from the hospital, hoping that maybe Ryou might know something, anything, about that odd disease. 

"Kaiba, that you?" Ryou asked, mildly surprised, sitting down on the ancient couch. His college dorm left much to be..... desired. 

"Ryou.... I have something odd to ask you." Seto wondered exactly how he was going to explain any of this to Ryou. 

Ryou knew that Yugi was dead, as did all her friends. But only Ryou and Seto knew why, exactly, and who the two children Seto had adopted were. Everyone else had paid it no mind, they weren't exactly on best friend terms with the young CEO. 

"Sure, just as long as it isn't for money." Ryou grinned, the couch creaking ominously beneath him as he lay back. Seto chuckled. 

"No, not money. I still have enough of that. Ryou, is there any odd diseases in your family? Where the immune system attacks the body?(2)" Ryou paled, sitting up. 

"Why... why do you ask?" Ryou whispered, looking up nervously, making sure his roommate wasn't in. 

"Estel became very ill about two weeks ago, and she's on some medication now, but they still can't figure out what's wrong with her. I thought that since Bakura's her father, it might be in your family too.(3)" Seto sighed, clicking his fountain pen, an annoying habit he seemed to have developed while tracking down the European. 

"Yes, yes it was in my family. It.... it killed my mother Seto, and no, the doctors couldn't do anything about it. Estel stands a better chance now, if she's taking medication. I'm sorry that I couldn't be of any more help." Ryou whispered, looking up nervously as the door opened, and Ryou's roommate returned with a sadistic grin. 

"Thanks, Ryou. I'll let you get back to your dinner, it is about that time over there, isn't it?" Seto chuckled, looking over at his clock. It was still only 9 AM in Japan. 

"Yeah, thanks. Bye, Seto." Ryou gulped as he hung up the phone, a hand tugging on his white locks. 

"That wouldn't have been about Yugi's little child, would it? You wouldn't have been keeping little secrets from me, would you, hikari?" Bakura whispered, Ryou cringing as Bakura nipped at his ear. The courage he had shown five years earlier had been quickly beaten out of him, after moving to Oxford to attend college. 

Bakura just laughed. 

"Bakura, please, they're just little children!" Ryou whimpered, and Bakura glared at him. 

"Children!? Children! How many whelps did the Pharaoh's brat have!?" Bakura demanded angrily, hauling Ryou up by the scruff of his neck. Tears trailed down the pale boys face as he looked away. 

"Two. A boy and a girl." Ryou whispered and Bakura threw him down on the couch with a grin. 

"Good, now we're getting somewhere. And where are my little precious children, hmmm? Would it be that they've been calling Seto Daddy all this time, hmmm?" Bakura purred, yanking Ryou back up. Ryou sighed, and nodded painfully. 

"Bakura, please, Yugi and Yami are dead, leave the children alone, there's no more revenge left to be had!" Ryou begged, and Bakura threw back his head, and laughed. An eerie, growling impression of a laugh that grated against the nerves. Ryou shivered, afraid of the funny look that was creeping into the spirits eyes. 

"But children need their father, not some stuck up imitator!" Bakura growled, pausing at the door, "And Ryou, my dear hikari, if you even think about warning anybody again, I can promise you that you won't be dead, but you'd be praying for it." Bakura grinned, closing the door softly, leaving his broken hikari to sob on the couch, his dinner going cold on the table...... 

  


~~~~~One Week Later~~~~~ 

  


"Mr. Kaiba, I've called you here because I'm concerned about Estel." Ms. Reed(4) said with a warm, concerned smile. Seto gulped, sitting down in one of the tiny chairs, looking over at the teacher, with her brown hair in a neat little bun, everything in the classroom neatly organized. 

"She's been sick lately...." Seto began, but Ms Reed held up her hand, shaking her head. Her appearance was not at the center of the conference. 

"That's not what I mean. I understand that she's been ill, but it's her personality I'm worried about. She doesn't seem very social. Estel seems to be more willing to create imaginary worlds of her own that coexist with the one she lives in. Now, I understand that she's only in first grade, and it might be her reaction to being thrown suddenly into a social environment for a first time, especially with a child as shy as Estel, but it seems to be a little more than that." Ms Reed explained, and Seto chewed on his tongue nervously. The twins had only been in school for a week, and already he was getting called down for a parent teacher conference. 

At least it hadn't been for an overactive Elendil, Seto thanked the gods. Elendil was a little too rough in his sport, and he had been afraid the little boy might hurt someone. 

"I... I see. But she's always been a little shy, there's not really anything I can do about that. She just has to find her way on her own." Seto said confidently, knowing it was true. He had been a loner throughout school, but not shy. He supposed it was more of Ryou's gene's(5) showing through. 

"But, Mr. Kaiba, I think it would be healthier for her if she was more socially active." Ms Reed complained, and Seto shook his head, standing up. 

"No, Ms Reed, I think you must understand. She simply prefers quality over quantity in her friendship, just as her mother did. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." Seto got up, leaving the teacher sitting at her desk, very flustered, and a grinning man, with wild white locks hiding in the hall way...... 

  


** ~TSUZUKU~ **

  


Well, how was this little dainty!? 

He he, and so the angst goes marching on, though slightly more dramatic than before..... 

Explanations: 

1: I am a huge Tolkien fan, and Tolkien taught at Oxford, so I guess it's sort of like homage, since I can't attend there, one of the characters can!!! 

2: As I have mention before, I know nothing about medicine. I think my description of the disease might actually be a disease. 

And no, it's not AIDS. AIDS is where the immune system shuts down, and is destroyed, not when the immune system attacks the body. 

Two completely different things, believe you me. 

For simplistic purposes, I am going to refer to the disease as Arte Disease, because that is my Elvish nickname!!! 

3: I refer to the fact that Ryou's gene's might have an impact upon Estel's, even though her father is Bakura, for one major reason. The spirits separate from their hikari's bodies when the form in the physical world, which means that Bakura has a very similar gene make up to Ryou's. 

4: Ms Reed is yet another of my teachers. 

My computer teacher from 10th grade. She was pretty cool too, and probably get a kick out of the fact that her classroom is neat. 

10th grade computer nerds can destroy more classroom in less time than all the first graders in the world!!! 

5: Refer to explanation 3. 

R&R Please!!! 

[Part Four][1]

   [1]: hit4.html



	4. An Ultimate Sacrifice

High Twilight 

Part Four 

An Ultimate Sacrifice 

* * *

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or anything relating to it, really. 

Except for Elendil and Estel. They're mine. 

This takes place roughly five years after **Hidden Truths** ends. 

Have fun, and remember, please don't sue me, I am nothing more than a lowly college student living off of imaginary food!!! 

Oh yes, a bit of a warning. 

That case of the flu I've been complaining about has turned out to be a little more drastic than I first thought. 

Seems I have something called toncilitis(sp?), and my bronchitis has reared its ugly head yet again. 

Which means all the lovely medication I'm on makes my head more than a little addled. 

So, I apologize from here on out for everything else I write until I get better, because it's likely to suck. 

You've been warned, but I hope you like the story anyway! 

:) 

* * *

  


~~~~~Three Days Later (Monday)~~~~~ 

  


"Estel? Is something wrong?" Ms Reed asked as the pale little girl stared out the window of the classroom, completely ignoring her hiragana(1) chart. It was unusual, Estel was always the first to get something done, and the last person in the entire world to dream off into space, while she had school work. 

After her work was done was another thing entirily. 

"No, Ms Reed." Estel whispered polietly, going back to her school work, refusing to allow her hand to shake, after what she had seen. 

Her father was standing outside, waiting for his beloved little children...... 

  


"Elendil." Estel whispered softly, catching her brothers arm. Elendil rolled his eyes, shaking himself free. 

"Don't tell me you're afraid to walk home now!" Elendil laughed, the group of friends he had aquired gathered around the tiny albino girl, pointing and joining in with the fun, calling her names. 

"Elendil, Ms Reed wants to see you." Estel whispered, ignoring the glare on her brothers face as she walked out the doors, alone. 

"Well, well, what have we here? You shouldn't walk home alone, you know, little girl. You never know what kind of people you're going to meet!" 

"Father," Estel looked up at Bakura solemnly "I already know who you are." Bakura's grin faltered, quickly clicking back into place as he took hold of the young girls long braid. 

"Seems you take after me. Wonder what your brother looks like....." Bakura trailed off, looking up curiously. Elendil was still in the school, looking for Ms Reed. 

"He died two weeks ago." Estel said simply, staring into the depths of Bakura's darkened brown eyes. Bakura growled. 

"What do you mean my son is dead!?" Bakura demanded, hauling his daughter up by the cuff of her blue dress jacket. Estel remained expressionless, she had predicted he would react like this. 

"He got sick. It was...." Estel paused as she tried to remember the right word, "Genetic." 

Bakura nearly dashed Estel against the sidewalk there and then, but her large, innocent amethyst eyes stopped him, and he grinned again, setting her down delicatly, dusting off her shoulder. Estel remained unfazed, staring up at her father, studying him silently. 

He didn't seem as evil as her Puzzle Papa had told her, just confused, lost, and angry. More than anything else, he was angry, though Estel, still unexperienced with the odd sense that seemed to buzz in her mind recently, could not tell what he was so angry with. 

"You have your mother's eyes, you know." Bakura smiled, his face a little less scary. Estel nodded. 

"But you have my looks. Yami must have hated you for that! He must have loved your brother, but you, no. He couldn't love you, you look like me, you're my child!" Bakura grinned as Estel's face paled a few shades, taking hold of her hand. 

Estel went without a whimper, or cry for help. She didn't plea, and she didn't sob. She knew that Bakura was here to claim what he thought his, and it would be the only way he would ever leave them be. She would leave Elendil behind, leave her Uncle Mokuba and Papa, to protect them. 

And most of all, she would leave Nuhta. 

She hoped she had done the right thing...... 

  


"Hey, Papa." Elendil sighed as he clomped through the door, alone. He was mad at Estel for lying to him, and making him look like a fool in front of all his new friends. 

Seto looked up curiously, glancing at the clock. Elendil was half an hour late, and Estel was still not home. Something was wrong, Estel was never irressponsible, and Elendil was never late home for snack. 

"Elendil, where's your sister?" Seto asked, following the spiky haired boy into the kitchen, where Mokuba was munching on a bag of chips. Elendil rolled his eyes, climbing up on a chair, Mokuba passing him the bag. 

"Don't know. She left before me. She said I was in trouble, but Ms Reed didn't know anything about it, so I went home. I figured she was already here." Elendil munched, spraying bits of potato across the counter, Seto paling visibly. 

"Elendil, your sister is very sick, remember!?" Seto grabbed the phone, dialing 911(2), Mokuba glaring at the elder twin. 

"I forgot!" Elendil cried, tears streaming down his face as he ran sobbing to his room. Mokuba sighed as Seto orginized a search party over the phone. 

As far as anyone else knew, Estel could be lying by the side of the road right now, gasping her last few breaths, alone..... 

  


"They do teach English at that school of yours, don't they?" Bakura asked as the two arrived at the airport. Estel nodded, looking around. 

The airport was extremely crowded, flights coming in and out constantly, people pushing and squeezing into every spare space. Bakura sighed, reaching down and grabbing Estel, settling the tiny child on his shoulder, keeping her out of trampling range. 

Estel stayed as silent and straight faced as always. 

"Two tickets for Seattle!" Bakura growled as he pushed and shoved his way to the front of the line. The woman behind the desk smiled, and cooed at Estel as she typed into her computer with a curt nod. 

Bakura paid in cash....... 

  


~~~~~One Week Later~~~~~ 

  


"I'm sorry sir, but there's no trace of her. I'm afraid we've got to call off the search. Contact us if you receive a ransom note." the police officer sighed, leaving Seto standing in the doorway, boiling with rage. 

They had already given up on ever finding Estel on their own. They had come to the assumption that she had been kidnapped, by very unique people. People that left no ransom notes, demanded no money, and did not make themselves known. 

Seto pounded his fist into the wall, looking over at the weepy eyed Elendil sadly, shaking his head. The small boy burst into tears again, clutching Nuhta as he sobbed, blaming himself for his siter's dissapearence. 

The worst of it all, Seto was forced to admit, was that he, the youngest, and richest CEO in Japan, could do nothing at all. For the second time in his life he was helpless, and he hated himself for it...... 

  


~~~~~In Seattle(3)~~~~~ 

  


"So, it will just be you and your daughter then, eh?" the manager asked as Bakura looked around the apartment, a few blocks from Green Lake(4). It was small and cramped, much like most of the Japan Estel had seen, but the air was lovely, and the city green. 

Bakura grunted and nodded gruffly. 

"Good, now, if you'll just come with me, we can fill out the rental contract!" the manager smiled, and Bakura looked over at Estel, who was standing in front of the tiny window, gazing at the large oak tree across the street. 

"Anna(5), you stay here." Bakura said gruffly, using the name Estel had been given on the forged documents. 

Anna nodded, not bothering to look over at her father, and sighed as the two left the room, watching a pidgeon walk down the street, lonely. 

She had been stripped of everything within a week, her life turned upside down as Bakura, now Bakura Williams, had dragged her across the world to this strange and foreign land of Seattle, where the rain was considered more necessary than the sun itself. And even her name had been taken from her, her past, and anything she might have run to. She was Anna Williams now, daughter, and only child, of the European History teacher for the local high school. 

The door opened again, and Bakura stepped in, a scowl on his face. 

He despised the English language. 

"This will be our home now, Anna. Do you understand? No more running to little papa Seto, it's just you and me." Bakura whispered, resting his hand gently on her head. Anna nodded solemnly, her eyes burning with youthful wonder. 

"Father," Anna looked up at Bakura, "Can I play across the street, with the boy in the big oak tree?" Bakura looked down at her, and out the window, where a wild haired boy was scrabling in and outof the tree, and nodded. 

"Be careful, though, Anna. I've already lost one child, I don't want to lose you too." Bakura whispered, his last words almost too faint to hear as Anna ran across the street, introducing herself shyly to the boy with the wild brown hair and grass stained pants...... 

  


** ~OWARI~ **

  


Well, here ends the second part of the Tingilya Arc. 

I know, I know, it was a short little bit, but very necessary for what is coming later on. 

Explanations: 

1: Hirigana is a form of writing in Japan. 

Sort of like the English alphabet. 

2: I do not live in Japan, where this story takes, took place. 

911 is more familiar to me, and I'm assuming most of the audience. 

Whatever the equivalent of 911 is in Japan, that's what's supposed to be there. 

3: Seattle has a HUGE Japanese population. 

I should know, I live in the area. 

And, if it's not your native tongue, it's pretty safe to bet it will become the second, third, or fourth one you learn. 

4: Green Lake is an actual place. 

I lived there for a while when I was younger. 

It isn't really a lake, just sort of a depression that the water collected in, and now there's a city around it. 

It has a lot of algae, and it's not the smartest thing in the world to swim in. 

The Monolith (Someone put a Monolith up in Magnison Park on 2001) resided on Bird Island, in the middle of Green Lake, for a while too. 

5: Anna, believe it or not, is also an Elvish name. 

It means Gift. 

Quite pretty, if you ask me. 

Well, this was but a brief lull in the angst, a sort of dramatic pit stop, if you will. 

A chance to lead the story in two directions, to where the true sorrow lies...... 

R&R!!! 


End file.
